57% of queer, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender employees rely on discretion in their professional sphere. Modesty can be a source of discomfort when not chosen. According to studies conducted, one queer person out of four has already been a victim of aggression in the workplace. Discrimination can be avoided by creating an inclusive environment conducive to teams’ well-being.
No discrimination or harassment towards queer people has been detected to date within the group. We owe this to our inclusion policy, which enables us to prevent anti-queer and homophobic attacks on our employees and our clients, suppliers, and administrators. To ensure the well-being of its queer employees, the group has signed several charters dedicated to diversity.
History
In 1903, the Court issued a famous ruling that determined the sex of an individual by the outward appearance of their genitals. Today, many people admit that the gender of some people is not necessarily correlated to their sexual organs.
For the past twenty years, these people have been grouped under the queer umbrella, which designates sexual minorities, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual communities. These terms distinguish between sexual and emotional orientation and gender identity.
Our society has fought against homosexuality as a criminal offense, even a crime punishable by death, for a long time. Until 1992, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified homosexuality as a psychiatric illness. Only recently, these sexual behaviors are no longer considered depraved and deviant.
Today, the categories of gender and sex non-conformity are progressing and developing. Progressively, legislation is changing from the repression of homosexuality to the fight against homophobia. Proof of this is the Gay Pride in New York, which gathered three million demonstrators on June 30th.
Coming out in the workplace
The consulting firm surveyed 8,800 employees in 19 countries. The results show that 70% of queer employees say they came out within 12 months of being hired. It shows that it is more difficult to come out after this period. Two-thirds of respondents who did not come out during their first year will never do so.
Some question the relevance of coming out in the workplace, arguing that it is primarily a private matter. On this issue, the workplace inclusion movement is clear: being “in the closet” in the workplace means having diminished relationships with colleagues.
At the coffee machine, they have to think about changing pronouns, preparing the names of outings in advance, or changing the names of the bars we’ve been to that would be too queer. One figure supporting this observation is that 80% of queer “out” people say they have made friends at work, compared to 45% of people who do not.
Statistics
A 2018 report from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation found that nearly 46% of queer people are closed off in the workplace. The HRC Foundation also states that 31% of queer employees feel depressed or unhappy at work, and 20% actively seek other employment.
Queer people also make up less than 0.3 percent of the upper echelons of management positions, according to a 2020 Forbes study. In addition, 358 Fortune 500 companies do not have a diversity policy on their board of directors, meaning that queer people are underrepresented on executive committees and in board meetings.
This shows how important diversity is, especially in 2022; a lack of diversity and inclusion pushes employees over the edge, making them less loyal and leading to talent attrition. According to a study conducted by Glassdoor, 67% of job seekers said a diverse workforce is an important thing they consider when looking for a job.
The McKinsey report also focuses on racial and ethnic diversity in the workplace. It found that 36% of companies are more likely to have higher-than-average financial performance than companies that are not diverse. The report also found that companies with a more gender-balanced employee base are 25% more likely to perform better than companies that are not diverse.
The Benefits of Workplace Diversity
Diversity in the workplace means recruiting different individuals in terms of gender, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, ideology, lifestyle, physical ability, and many other factors. A diverse workforce is representative of the society around us.
Each employee who joins an organization brings a different life experience and approach to dealing with the challenges they face and a unique cultural contribution to your company. A diverse workplace with various profiles provides both an enriching experience for employees and new opportunities for the company.
Strong evidence shows that a diverse workforce is directly correlated to business success. One study found that ethnically and culturally, various companies outperformed the business median in their industry by 35%. This increase in profits and performance is on the order of 15% for organizations that have a good gender balance.
Diversity improves the bottom line, innovation, and the company’s value proposition. Also, the new generation, the Millenials, who are slowly entering the workforce, are looking for employers who advocate diversity in the workplace and fight against discrimination of any kind.
These individuals want to work for organizations that adhere to the principle of EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) in the workplace and want to engage with socially responsible companies. 67% of job seekers say that diversity in the workplace is essential when choosing where to apply for a job.
When people from various cultures and backgrounds work together, then the opportunity of creativity increases a bit akin to productivity. There will be more people with different perspectives at the table, which means there will be more solutions to solve any given problem.
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